I dropped a hint about our theme this week with
Monday's Riddle, opening up the topic of painters and illustrators. Brocket the Rocket told us all about one of his favorite summer reads,
Nate Rocks the World by Karen Pokras Toz. And, Friday we have a special guest stopping by to chat with us. Now, Lizzy and I absolutely love stories, but what would they be without the illustrators who turn the words into pictures? Here's to all those fabulous artists out there. Keep up the good work!
This week's top of the heap: Favorite illustrators/ Painters
Fairday: I was introduced to the illustrator, Charles Vess through the book,
Stardust, Being a Romance Within the realms of Faerie by Neil Gaiman. The story is one of my absolute favorites, and the illustrations were truly incredible. They really capture the magic of the timeless tale! ~ F
About Charles Vess:
Charles Vess was born in 1951 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has been drawing ever since he could hold a crayon and crawl to the nearest wall. His award-winning work has graced the covers and interior pages of many comic book publishers including Marvel (Spider-Man, Raven Banner) and DC (Books of Magic, Swamp Thing, Sandman). His work now is found more in book illustration, such as “The Ladies of Grace Adieu” (Bloomsbury), “Coyote Road – Trickster Tales” (Viking), and “Peter Pan” (Starscape). Read more...
Lizzy: Not only do I love to read books, but I can spend hours looking at the beautiful illustrations in them. There are a wide variety of styles and so many talented artists. If I had to pick my favorite illustrator it would be Chris Van Allsburg. Ever since I first picked up one of his books, I have been captivated by his work. Each one is different, but still the illustrations play a key role in telling the story. I sometimes pour over the pictures for hours, and they could almost tell the tale on their own! I always notice new details, which makes me enjoy rereading his books regularly. In Just a Dream he captures the importance of treating our planet with the greatest respect and the drawings just pop. The Z was Zapped showed me the alphabet in a whole new way. I may not be able to draw as well as I would like, but I sure do enjoy looking at pictures! ~L
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| Man in Tornado |
All the books listed here sound great!
ReplyDeleteBrocket, we loved Nate Rocks the World
Fairday, Stardust sounds like an awesome book,
and
Lizzie, Just A Dream is on our list to read this summer!
Great group of books guys.
Donna and Lucas
Donna and Lucas- Thanks so much for stopping by! We are happy that you loved Nate Rocks the World. We are so happy we heard about the book on your blog. We hope you enjoy Just a Dream! Happy Summer! ~The DMS
DeleteI enjoy art a lot, too. I wish I was better at it, but looking at what others do always inspires me.
ReplyDeleteM Pax- I appreciate art and enjoy drawing. I may not be an artist- but art makes me feel calm. There are so many wonderful illustrators whose work I can get lost in! Thanks for stopping by. ~F
DeleteLove your picks! Stardust is one of my favorite books - I just read The Sandman series, too.
ReplyDeleteI've always enjoyed Chris Van Allsburg's work. The art really tells most of the story.
Hi Amy,
DeleteThe Sandman series really is amazing. I find them to be riveting and relaxing at the same time. I collect them, and each time I get a new one, it's seriously so exciting. Stardust was such a great book- I have a special collector's edition that is one of my most prized possessions. Wonderful to hear from you! Thanks for stopping by : ) ~ F
Heidie- I am glad you like the toilet picture. It is very interesting for sure! Great point about adult books. I think an illustration here and there would add to the experience! I always liked in Harry Potter that there were little pictures at the top of each chapter. More pictures please! ~Jess
ReplyDeleteI love Chris van Allsburg! I also love Jan Brett's illustrations, along with her stories. And Maurice Sendak's a classic fav.
ReplyDeleteI recently discovered Nancy Tillman, whose illustrations are sheer magic. If you haven't seen her art, check out her web site: http://www.nancytillman.com/main/ Bet you'll love it too!
Hi Cate,
DeleteWow! You were right! Thanks for sharing the link. I just checked out her site- it looks amazing. I love the print entitled, Sleep Balloon. Great to hear from you : ) ~ F
The artwork on the front cover and spine is so important! If it’s not attractive, I don’t pick it up. I love your choice of pics – the dog's ears (on the toilet picture) make me laugh every time I look at it.
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara, I know they always say not to judge a book by the cover, but unfortunately, I usually do! Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us! ~ F
DeleteI'm a huge Chris Van Allsburg fan. I use his Harris Burdick prints every year in my class as writing prompts.
ReplyDeleteHi Leslie, That's great that you use his illustrations for writing prompts. I could come up with a great story for Man in a Tornado : ) ~ F
DeleteI can't stop looking at that picture of Man in a Tornado! It's so eye-catching. Great post, fun topic to think about.
ReplyDeleteHI Elaine, Isn't it so crazy, but cool??? lol! Great to hear from you! Thanks for stopping by : ) ~ F
DeleteMy favourite illustrator right now is Shaun Tan. He's crazy imaginative and his pictures are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteKim- I agree with you that Shaun Tan is very talented. I enjoy his work and style. Thanks for stopping by. :) ~F
DeleteI love to read about illustrators. We don't hear a whole lot about them, but they sure do bring books to life.
ReplyDeleteDonna- Me, too! I love looking at the pictures that go with the words. :) ~ F
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